Optimize Acid Gas Cleaning in Aspen HYSYS Webinar

Webinar Q&A
This document summarizes the responses to questions posed before and during the webinar on Acid Gas Cleaning in Aspen HYSYS.

Q: Is the new version of Aspen HYSYS that contains Acid Gas Cleaning a patch or a standalone version?
A: Acid Gas Cleaning is available in Aspen HYSYS V8.3, which is a new version that has a free upgrade for current users. For more
information, please visit http://www.aspentech.com/products/order-now/.
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Q: How many tokens does Acid Gas Cleaning cost?
A: Acid Gas Cleaning is a new feature introduced as a part of Aspen HYSYS for versions V8.3 and above. It does not cost any extra
tokens and can be accessed directly from Aspen HYSYS.
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Q: How have you validated the performance of your models? Can we have access to the validation data?
A: AspenTech has validated the results from Acid Gas Cleaning models in two ways: with Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) data and with
operational data. The VLE data are published references anyone can access, but the access to plant data is restricted. Operational
data was validated using data that was provided to us by some of our customers, and also through external consultants who tested
our software. Since this included plant data from our customers that are under agreement, we cannot share that information.
However, we will publish a white paper soon to further discuss our validation methods and the encouraging results we obtained.
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Q: How does the new Acid Gas Cleaning functionality compare with previous Aspen HYSYS solutions and competitors?
A: The new Acid Gas Cleaning tool is a more powerful rate-based system backed by Aspen Properties for a more fundamental
modeling of the process. We have seen much better results with Acid Gas Cleaning now than were previously obtained in Aspen
HYSYS, since it uses electrolyte NRTL models in the property package for the thermodynamics, and also uses a mass-and-heat transfer
rate-based calculation method to solve the columninstead of the current widely used equilibrium calculation model. AspenTech
also engaged independent consultants to benchmark the results obtained with our new Acid Gas Cleaning functionality. The
comparison was completed using Plant Data.
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Q: What solvents are available for the Acid Gas Cleaning process in Aspen HYSYS V8.3? What amines and amine blends are
supported? What are the supported solvents?
A: Currently, we only support chemical amine-based solvents. The following amines and amine blends are available: MEA, DEA,
MDEA, PZ, DGA, DIPA, TEA, MDEA + PZ, Sulfolane + MDEA (Sulfinol-M), and Sulfolane + DIPA (Sulfinol-D). If proprietary blends include
any of the supported blends, they can be modeled in Aspen HYSYS. Physical solvents are currently not supported.
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Q: Does the new Aspen HYSYS only model gas treating or is liquid stream treating also supported?
A: In Aspen HYSYS V8.3, only gas treating using amine-based systems has been validated.

Q: Are Heat Stable Salts modeled?

A: Yes, and they are not treated as inserts but participate in the chemistry. Their bonds with Amines are modeled through rigorous
chemistry modelingdone in the background.
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Q: What is the Efficiency calculation mode? How is it related to the rate-based calculation?
A: The Efficiency mode is an innovative approach developed by AspenTech. Aspen HYSYS can model the column using rate-based
calculations in the background, accounting for column reactions and hydraulics. That data is then used to calculate the component
Murphree efficiencies. The Aspen HYSYS Column solver then solves the model using those efficiencies.
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Q: What are the inputs required for the Advanced Modelling option?
A: The standard mode for Acid Gas Cleaning is the Efficiency mode. However, for very few advanced users there is the Advanced
Modelling option. The input necessary for the Advanced Model is rate-based data related mainly to column hydraulics.
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Q: Can I get a summary of reaction results? What about the amine dashboard?
A: Amine reaction related results, such as H2S loading and CO2 loading, are available in every stream and column form within the
Aspen HYSYS model.
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Q: How is the Acid Gas Cleaning fluid package different from using ENRTL in a subflowsheet for gas sweetening?
A: The Acid Gas fluid package internally uses ENRTL, but we have regressed parameters for amines, mercaptans, H2S, CO2, and other
contaminants. The offering also contains rate-based modeling for column solving. In other words, AspenTech has done significant
work extending the capability of ENRTL specifically for Acid Gas Cleaning.
While the ENRTL property package still appears and is used as an Aspen Properties property package, the Acid Gas package is offered
as an Aspen HYSYS property package and follows a very intuitive UI for a fast and easy setup.
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Q: What thermodynamic models do you use in Acid Gas Cleaning?
A: For the liquid phase, Electrolyte-NRTL and for the vapor phase, Peng-Robinson based thermodynamics and properties are used to
generate reactions and chemistries for the system created by the users component list. Although backed by Aspen Properties, this is
packaged as an Aspen HYSYS property package to provide ease-of-use and high performance.
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Q: What calculation models do you use in the columns?
A: Mass-and-heat transfer rate-based calculations are used, which are considered far superior and better suited than the equilibrium
calculations that are more common in the market today.
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Q: Do you have specific vendor packing geometries for the columns in Acid Gas?
A: Yes, the vendor packing correlations that are available for column hydraulics are also available in Aspen Plus.

Q: Do you model packing geometries without inputs of residence time, etc?

A: Yes, the packing internals are modeled rigorously, and not as approximations of tray internals. In addition, because of the
intelligent defaults and the integrated vendor packing correlations and hydraulics information available, there is no need for the user
to enter residence times, HETPs, or any fudge factors.
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Q: Is it possible to use Acid Gas in combination with another fluid package in the same model?
A: Yes, Acid Gas is the standard Aspen HYSYS property package selected if you have components associated with Acid Gas Cleaning. It
can be used in conjunction with other fluid packages in the same flowsheet.
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Q: Is it possible to simulate the amine solution with selective absorption of H2S or CO2?
A: Yes, as long as the model uses the supported amines and amine blends. For example, for selective absorption of H2S, MDEA is
generally used in the industry, which is modeled by Aspen HYSYS. For selective absorption of CO2, an option may be Piperazine.
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Q: Are column internal calculations, such as the ones used for Acid Gas, available for other tower simulations?
A: Currently, rigorous column internal calculations are only available for Acid Gas columns, such as absorbers and distillation columns.
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Q: Is the makeup block only available in Acid Gas or can it be used in other models in Aspen HYSYS?
A: Currently, the makeup block is only available for Acid Gas Cleaning applications.
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Q: Is the model applicable to high pressure gas cleaning only or is it also valid for low pressure treatments?
A: Aspen HYSYS V8.3 provides rigorous thermo and rate-based simulation, meaning the models can be extrapolated across a wide
operating range. Lower pressure systems can be modeled as well.
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Q: Does the model provide the ionic composition of the streams?
A: Yes, the ionic composition of the streams is calculated and can be viewed in the stream forms.
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Q: Does the model rigorously simulate the removal of other sulfur compounds (mercaptans, COS, CS2)?
A: Yes, the model uses rate-based calculations to simulate the removal of Methyl and Ethyl Mercaptans, COS and CS2.
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Q: What are the differences between the new Aspen HYSYS model for Acid Gas Cleaning and the Radfrac model in Aspen Plus?
A: Both models are the same and have been validated against plant and literature data to make them more suitable for Acid Gas
calculations. However, the efficiency method is only available in Aspen HYSYS.
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Q: How can I simulate a system that uses both tray and packed columns?
A: There are two ways to model that system. The tray and packed columns can either be simulated by using two separate columns,
one packed and one tray, or by adding separate sections within the same column that are defined as packed or tray sections. They are
both rigorous methods to simulate the column.